Strike
Plot A legal aid strike ends in the death of a paralegal, and the investigation leads to a golf pro who proclaims his innocence. Due to the strike, Rubirosa is forced to defend the suspect herself. The investigation leads to the revelation that the golf pro is innocent of his wife's murder for which he spent nine years in prison and the paralegal was the true killer as he had cystic fibrosis which the killer had. Rubirosa comes into conflict with Cutter due to them being on opposite sides of the trial and defends her client to the best of her ability, coming to a point where a decision by the judge could turn the case in her favor. A comment by her client causes her to do a little further investigating and she discovers he and the dead paralegal (who he admits to killing in revenge for his wife's murder) were actually diving buddies and had known each other for a long time. Rubirosa turns to McCoy for advise without telling him what it's about as the new revelation bothers her ethics, and he suggests she go with the law. The judge decides against her, but Cutter once again offers her the plea of eight and a half to twenty-five years in prison as her client already spent nine years for a crime he didn't commit and Rubirosa talks to him about it. She theorizes that the client's wife had an affair and he had his buddy murder her, but after hearing about a test to confirm the man had cystic fibrosis, a disease that the killer was known to have, he murdered him to cover up his wife's murder. Rubirosa is willing to keep fighting for him despite this, but pushes him to accept the plea rather than go to the jury. He ultimately accepts it and Rubirosa returns to the DAs office where its revealed the strike has ended. Rubirosa also plans to take Detective Bernard out for a drink to make up for the way she treated him during the case and on the stand. Cast Main cast * Jeremy Sisto as Detective Cyrus Lupo * Anthony Anderson as Detective Kevin Bernard * S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren * Linus Roache as Executive A.D.A. Michael Cutter * Alana De La Garza as A.D.A. Connie Rubirosa * Sam Waterston as D.A. Jack McCoy Recurring cast * Wayne Duvall as Judge Norman Barclay * Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers * Joe Forbrich as Detective Joe Cormack Guest cast * Brad William Henke as Ted Sanderson * Justin Hagan as Frank Dresner * Leslie Ayvazian as Judge Susan Valdera * Jeff Talbott as Judge Herbert Warren * Kelly Demaret as Lila Dresner * Michael Medeiros as Mike Dolci * Happy Anderson as Jim Matthews * Shawn Andrew as Courthouse Guard * Adam Dannheisser as Gabe * Sarah Ireland as Ellen * Andrew Polk as Bank Manager * Elizabeth Rich as Woman in Gallery * Michael Gerrard as Court Clerk * Karen Walsh as A.D.A. Jenna Vogel * Darien Sills-Evans as A.D.A. Chad Baza * Bruce-Robert Serafin as Don Narducci * Paul Basile as Scruffy Thief (uncredited) * Timothy J. Cox as Legal Aid Protester (uncredited) References *Julie Sanderson *Legal Aid Society *''People v. Richardson'' *''People v. Cordova'' Quotes Background information and notes Episode scene cards Category:L&O episodes